F Gavin McKenna - Medicine Hat Tigers, WHL (2026 Draft)

[Bubbles]

Another 2G 1A effort tonight.

 

[Mathieukferland]

Another 2G 1A effort tonight.

I’m not sure he’s a franchise level talent, but he’s certainly not outside top 5 in his age group and worse than Zachary Morin as one poster here has suggested

 

[Artorius Horus T]

I’m not sure he’s a franchise level talent, but he’s certainly not outside top 5 in his age group and worse than Zachary Morin as one poster here has suggested

i disagree but opinions.
he is #1 in his age group in my opinion

 

[Bubbles]

I’m not sure he’s a franchise level talent, but he’s certainly not outside top 5 in his age group and worse than Zachary Morin as one poster here has suggested

He's certainly a franchise talent already. No one in the 2026 Draft is even playing at this high junior level yet and McKenna's already more than a point a game player.

 

[HighLifeManIsHigh]

Another 2G 1A effort tonight.

That poise on the 2 on 1 is off the charts for a kid that isn’t even 16 yet. Wow

 

[Gold Standard]

He's certainly a franchise talent already. No one in the 2026 Draft is even playing at this high junior level yet and McKenna's already more than a point a game player.

Alright! He's starting to make me sit up and raise a Spockian eyebrow!

 

[Artorius Horus T]

I’m not sure he’s a franchise level talent, but he’s certainly not outside top 5 in his age group and worse than Zachary Morin as one poster here has suggested

umm.. Morin is almost 1 year (11 months) older and is in 2025 Draft class, McKenna is in 2026 Draft class..

 

[Mathieukferland]

umm.. Morin is almost 1 year (11 months) older and is in 2025 Draft class, McKenna is in 2026 Draft class..

They’re both 2007 I think is what that poster was referring to, age group not draft class

 

[Artorius Horus T]

They’re both 2007 I think is what that poster was referring to, age group not draft class

2007 sure, but still almost 1 year age difference, not so much the same age group either..
in my books anyways.

McKenna is almost 2008 born and the other guy missed a 2006 born year with 20 days or so.

 

[LeProspector]

McKenna looks like a top-5 pick in 2026, reminds me a bit of Nolan Patrick

 

[MeHateHe]

Watched the kid live in Victoria last evening. A few thoughts from a non-scout:
- He's got great hands and he sees his teammates well when he has the puck.
- I thought he looked lost when he didn't have the puck. A couple times I was asking myself 'what the hell is he doing way over there?'
- He has a choppy, potentially inefficient skating style. He's not the kind of guy who's exploding away from opponents with his first few strides. Having said that, he has decent top-end speed. I'd hope there is some work being done to maximize his skating.
- He's still got to fill out some; combine his slight frame with the hitch-y skating style and it's vaguely reminiscent of a kid who played in the Soo in the late '70s. (That kid had lots of holes in his game too - wonder whatever happened to him?)**
- He produced nothing against a very weak opponent. He did generate one scoring chance but his linemate was too close to the goalie and got stuffed.

In all, he looked like a kid in his first full year of major junior. I won't make any judgements based on one game.

** No, I'm not making a comparison between McKenna and Gretzky. My first impression was that he's got a funny skating stride, and that he's on the small side and I'm just reminding myself that lots of very good players looked out of place at 16.

 

[Bubbles]

3A tonight (there was a scoring error on the first goal) although he really didn't impress much especially 5 on 5.

 

[WarriorofTime]

Not the best skater but he has a few years to improve on that. Can't argue with the production as a very late '07. He will be a good one.

 

[Bubbles]

Not the best skater but he has a few years to improve on that. Can't argue with the production as a very late '07. He will be a good one.

His skating is elite. I don't know what the other poster is talking about.

 

[MeHateHe]

His skating is elite. I don't know what the other poster is talking about.

I said he has good top-end speed but his first three strides look a bit choppy. I'd want to see more, but from my limited viewing I thought it was inefficient.

 

[Bubbles]

Clearly has improved his shot. His 1st goal was a great wrister too.

 

[Artorius Horus T]

still leads tigers in points, with 19, (1.50 ppg) , 4 points in his last 2

 

[Mathieukferland]

https://x.com/1ereronde/status/1720282297025364473?s=46&t=gayK_VFv9dswsr1U4K0m-A

 

[Artorius Horus T]

so he scored both team red goals.

 

[Artorius Horus T]

Also scored in the shootout, his goal though wasn't the game winner

 

[TJHKY]

 

[Bubbles]

 

[Artorius Horus T]

2 goals in game 1
1 goal, 1 assist in game 2

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

He's the best Canadian player at the WHC17. His hockey sense and playmaking is in his own league. He reminds me of Kucherov. He can basically pass a player open and make the defense look so bad without size, amazing skating, or putting the defense on their heels by attacking them. He slows the game down, but he can do that because he can control an offensive shift. I was thinking he'd be a worse skater than he is. He's no worse than NHL average for his height, and could be better than that. He's obviously a perimeter player, but he's not overly small or unwilling to play near the net or play physical. Has a good shot too. Not only a playmaker. I could see a team eventually that wants a center or a defenseman badly in 2026 that passes on him, if there's someone close to as good as him in 2026. He's an offensive winger, so there aren't that many of those that go 1OA, but he's probably going to be an offensive star in the NHL scoring a lot of points.

I'd put him at a very similar level as Misa, and a little below Bedard. He's different from both. Bedard is a center has the amazing shot that McKenna doesn't have. Misa has better skating and could be a center, which McKenna isn't. At the same time, McKenna passes the puck and probably has better hockey sense than either.

 

[ORRFForever]

He's the best Canadian player at the WHC17. His hockey sense and playmaking is in his own league. He reminds me of Kucherov. He can basically pass a player open and make the defense look so bad without size, amazing skating, or putting the defense on their heels by attacking them. He slows the game down, but he can do that because he can control an offensive shift. I was thinking he'd be a worse skater than he is. He's no worse than NHL average for his height, and could be better than that. He's obviously a perimeter player, but he's not overly small or unwilling to play near the net or play physical. Has a good shot too. Not only a playmaker. I could see a team eventually that wants a center or a defenseman badly in 2026 that passes on him, if there's someone close to as good as him in 2026. He's an offensive winger, so there aren't that many of those that go 1OA, but he's probably going to be an offensive star in the NHL scoring a lot of points.

I'd put him at a very similar level as Misa, and a little below Bedard. He's different from both. Bedard is a center has the amazing shot that McKenna doesn't have. Misa has better skating and could be a center, which McKenna isn't. At the same time, McKenna passes the puck and probably has better hockey sense than either.

Very interesting. Thanks!